


Chris & Nikki One Shot Collection

by beccaheartschrisevans



Series: Adventures in Parenting (Chris & Nikki) [4]
Category: American Actor RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-10
Updated: 2017-06-13
Packaged: 2018-08-20 12:45:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8249596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beccaheartschrisevans/pseuds/beccaheartschrisevans
Summary: The stories in this collection are random one shots about Chris & Nikki.  As there maybe be future stories with higher ratings, I am going to list this as "mature", but I will try and make a note of the ratings for each story in their summary.





	1. The Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one shot takes place in October 2016 and is Chris, Nikki and the boys watching the return game of #12. Rating: PG

_October 9, 2016_

Nikki smiled as she saw Josh steal a glance towards the hallway, knowing he was looking for his daddy. She had kept the boys busy all morning doing quiet activities, including an earlier than usual nap, knowing they'd want to watch football when Chris finally got out of bed.

A nasty virus had made an unwelcome visit to their house during the past week, starting with the boys before making its way around to her and then finally Chris. He'd been in bed all day yesterday and she had let him sleep more this morning, knowing he would be up to watch the game whether he felt up to it or not.

"Is it time, mommy?" Josh asked.

Nikki glanced at the clock and saw that it was almost 12:30, the time she'd told Josh they would go wake up Chris. "It is time," she nodded. "Do you want to go wake up daddy?"

Josh nodded and put down the crayon he was coloring with. Nikki helped him down off the chair and watched as he softly tiptoed down the hall to her and Chris's room. She heard him knock on the door, like they had practiced, before he pushed the door, which was already ajar, open all the way.

"Daddy?" Josh whispered as he entered the room. He tiptoed over to the bed and saw Chris's arm hanging off the bed. He gave it a soft tug. "Daddy, wake up. It's Tom Brady Day."

Chris opened his eyes and smiled. "Tom Brady Day?" he repeated, hoarsely.

"Uh huh," Josh nodded. "He's back, daddy! He's back!"

Chris chuckled then coughed. He glanced at the clock and saw that Nikki had given him time to shower. "I'll be out soon, buddy," he told his son. "You ready for the game?"

"Yup!" Josh exclaimed. "Mommy and Aiden too."

"Good," Chris said, he coughed again. "Go find the perfect spot on the couch."

"Ok!" Josh replied, before leaving the room and returning to the open concept kitchen, living and dining room. Instead of rejoining his mom and younger brother who were at the dinner table, he climbed onto the couch.

"What are you doing, Joshy?" Nikki asked as she watched him wiggle on one couch cushion before sliding over to check out another one.

"Finding the best spot," Josh replied. "Like Daddy said to."

"Me too! Me too!" Aiden cried out.

"You silly boys," Nikki shook her head. She picked Aiden up and carried him over to the couch. She put the 17-month-old down next to his three-year-old brother and watched as they searched for the best seats in the house. The family dogs, Boston and Max, followed them into the living room and laid down on their beds.

Both boys were dressed for the game. Aiden in a pair of footie pajamas that looked like a Patriots' uniform with the number '00' on it. Josh was wearing a pair of grey sweats and a t-shirt that had the body of a football player on the front and the back. Nikki herself was wearing a pair of grey leggings and a Patriots' hoodie.

Hearing a deep cough behind her, Nikki turned and smiled when she saw Chris coming into the room slowly. He was dressed in a pair of sweats and his Brady #12 shirt. He had a bit more color in his face today, but there were dark circles under his eyes.

"Take a seat with the monkeys and I'll get you some soup," she told him.

Chris nodded and walked over to the couch, grabbing the TV remote as he passed it. "Which seat is the best?" he asked his voice still hoarse.

"That one," Josh pointed at the corner seat that Chris always sat in on Sunday mornings. "I saved it for you."

"Thanks buddy," Chris smiled as he sat down. He reached over the side of the couch and brought up the footrest. "You guys ready for this game?"

Josh nodded enthusiastically and Aiden mimicked his older brother.

"Who's the best quarterback in the world?" Chris asked as he turned the TV on.

"TOM BRADY!" Josh shouted.

"TOM BADY!" Aiden echoed.

"And who is mommy's favorite football player?" Nikki asked as she carried a mug of hot soup over for Chris.

"EDDYMAN!" Aiden exclaimed.

"It's Edelman, Aiden," Josh shook his head. "He can't say it right."

"That's ok," Nikki smiled as she handed both boys their Patriots' sippy cups with water in them. "He's still learning."

"How are you feeling?" Chris asked as Nikki sat down on the other end of the couch. "I heard you this morning…"

"I feel better now," she assured him. She wasn't sure what had made her throw up that morning. At first she had written it off as part of the part of the virus, but none of her boys had thrown up from it and she hadn't had symptoms for a couple days. Really there were only two other options: she'd eaten something her body didn't agree with or she was pregnant.

"Good," Chris nodded. The look he gave her told her he had his own suspicions about it.

"Look, Daddy! Tom Brady!" Josh exclaimed pulling their attention back to the TV.  "He's the bestest."

"Bady," Aiden echoed.

The game started with the Patriots kicking off to the Browns. Their first possession ended with a punt that without a return.

"17 seasons," Chris said as Brady ran out onto the field. "It's about f- freaking time!" He censored himself.

"EDDYMAN!" Aiden shouted when Tom's first pass found Edelman.

The 17-month-old then shocked all three of them when he yelled, "GRONK!" when the tight end ran the ball.

"Well at least he knows one name," Chris chuckled before coughing.

They all cheered as LaGarrette Blount ran the ball into the end zone for the first touchdown of the game. Aiden surprised them again by celebrating the touchdown by jumping on the couch.

"Ok, you monkey," Nikki laughed scooping him up. She put him down on the ground and he continued his touchdown celebration. "Someone is certainly feeling better."

Aiden had been the first of the four of them to get sick and that has been a week ago. Josh had gotten sick the next day and he still hadn't recaptured his normal energy levels either.

Looking over at her oldest son, she smiled when she saw him snuggled up against Chris's side. He would nod his head in agreement when Chris would say something and occasionally would vocalize his agreement.

The Browns' second possession resulted in a touchdown and an extra point, tying the game at seven.

The Patriots' started their second possession on their own 25 yard line and drove all the way to the end zone with help from Brady, Edelman ("EDDYMAN!"), Blount, and White. It was Martellus Bennett, who'd left the field injured during the Patriots' first possession and returned for the second, who had finally walked in for the score.

Chris pumped his fist in the air and let out hoarse "YES!" when the Browns' third possession resulted in a two point Safety for the Patriots and meant that they got the ball back. Josh copied his dad and Chris ruffled his hair.

Chris jumped off the couch, and had to grab Josh to keep him from tumbling off the couch, when Brady completed a 43 yard pass to Hogan. He gave Josh a big hug as they both cheered and then sat back down on the couch. His celebration was followed by a coughing fit and he was more subdued in his cheer when the Patriots got the ball into the end zone.

The Browns' punted the ball on their next possession and the Patriots turned the ball over on downs after failing to get into the end zone following a 63 yard bomb to Hogan. Chris and Josh both groaned in frustration as Blount was tackled for a loss.

The next three possessions, two for the Browns' and one for the Patriot's, resulted in punts. The Patriots' final possession of the half resulted in a missed field goal.

"Dang it!" Chris sighed, crossing his arms.

"Dang it!" Josh copied his dad, pose and all.

"Dang it!" Aiden echoed from the floor where he played with a toy, his back to his dad and brother.

Nikki shook her head and laughed.

The half ended with an incomplete pass for the Browns' and the halftime report show came on.

"Why don't you two take a nap," Nikki suggested looking at Chris and Josh. They were both into the game, but their eyes, especially Josh's, were drooping. "I'll wake you two up as soon as the second half starts."

"Good idea," Chris nodded. He muted the TV and then laid his head back against the couch cushions. Josh resisted for a minute, but relaxed into Chris's body.

"Let's take the doggies outside, Aiden," Nikki suggested. She picked him up and carried him into the kitchen with the dogs following them. She helped him put on his rubber boots and then opened the door for him and the dogs to go outside. He ran around the yard and the dogs eventually joined him after taking care of business.

She let them play for a bit longer before she called them into the house. She told the dogs to wipe off their feet then knelt down to help Aiden take off his boots. She then made a cup of hot tea for Chris and returned to the living room just as coverage switched back to the game.

"Ok, sleepyheads, the game is back," she said as Aiden resumed playing with his toys.

Chris and Josh both yawned and stretched as they woke up. Chris accepted the cup of hot tea and nodded his thanks to her.

They were both too groggy to do much celebrating as the Patriots' first possession of the second half resulted in a touchdown. By the time Patrick Chung intercepted a pass for the Patriots', they were both awake and cheering.

The Patriots' second and third possessions as well as the Browns' second all resulted in punts. The Browns scored a touchdown on their next possession, but failed on their attempt for a two point conversion. The Patriots' next drive resulted in a field goal.

It was as their cheers were quieting that Aiden climbed back onto the couch, rubbing his sleepy eyes. He crawled into Nikki's arms and settled against her chest. He fell asleep as the game came to an uneventful end with three more punts (two for the Patriots and one for the Browns) and the Browns gave the ball up on a loss of downs.

"Happy?" Nikki asked Chris as he smiled as the game ended.

"Very," Chris nodded. "Brady is back."


	2. One Last Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one shot takes place in October 2016 and is Chris, Nikki and the boys spending one last night in their first Boston home. Rating: PG

_October 31, 2016_

Nikki smiled down at the three men in her life as they laid stretched out on the raised air mattress on the living room floor. She had been lying with them, but had moved to a camp chair when too much wiggling by the younger two started giving her motion sickness.

The doorbell rang, signaling the arrival of more trick or treaters, and her miniature Captain America and Spiderman scurried off the air mattress with Danny Zuko following after hitting pause on "Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie."

As the Sandy to Chris's Danny, Nikki pulled herself up and followed her family to the door. Chris and the boys had already greeted the trick or treaters and were handing out candy. A couple more groups of trick or treaters arrived one after the other and it was another ten minutes or so before they returned to their movie.

She and Chris had taken the boys out earlier in the day to see their grandparents and go to a couple houses on the street that her and Chris's parents' lived on, knowing those folks would want to see the boys. They had also taken the boys to see their own next door neighbor, an elderly woman in her 70s whose only grandchildren lived on the west coast.

In the two years since they had moved in next door, Ms. Rachel had showered their family with love and treated them as if they were her own family. She had been the one who'd purchased Josh and Aiden's Marvel Halloween costumes as well as matching Hulk and Ironman costumes for their dogs Boston and Max.

Of all their neighbors, Nikki was going to miss Ms. Rachel the most. She'd never gotten to know her own grandparents and Ms. Rachel had filled a hole she hadn't known was missing in her life. While they had been visiting the woman this evening, they had shared with her the same news they had shared hours earlier with their family: "We're having a baby!"

Trick or treaters had brought their visit to an end, but Nikki had promised to come back with the boys before they followed Chris to Georgia in a couple weeks. Hugs and kisses had been exchanged before they left her house and had walked the short distance to their house.

It had been bittersweet walking into the practically empty house. The moving company hired by the studio had driven off with their belongings midday Saturday and Chris would be following them in a couple days. The plan was that he would get settled in their rental house and get everything setup for her and the boys. He would be flying down while she and her mom drove the boys and the dogs down in their SUV in a couple weeks.

It had been Chris's idea to spend one last night in the house and have it be a family campout in the living room. They had blown up an air mattress for her and Chris to sleep on with their two person sleeping bag. They'd also brought the small Avengers tent that RDJ ["Uncle Robert"] had given Josh for his birthday and set it up for the boys to sleep in with their matching Avenger and Spiderman sleeping bags.

By the time the movie ended, Nikki's little superheros were fading quickly. They turned off the porch light, signaling they were no longer accepting trick or treaters, and then helped the boys out of the costumes and into their pajamas. They helped them brush their teeth and then guided them into their sleeping bags inside the tent.

While Nikki changed into her pajamas, Chris got the costumes off of the dogs and then set their dog beds on either side of the tent. When Nikki returned to the living room he went to change into his pajamas.

It was still early in the evening, just shy of nine, but they'd spent the last week packing up the house and preparing for their move to Georgia and they knew the boys would be joining them on the air mattress as soon as they woke up in the morning.

Once she and Chris were in their sleeping bag, she nestled herself against him. The next two weeks were going to be crazy for them, but it would all be worth it when she and the boys were in Georgia with Chris for the next ten months. It would also mean that their new baby would be born in Georgia, meaning that our three of their kids would have been born in a different state as Josh had been born in California and Aiden in Massachusetts.


	3. Oh Christmas Tree

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one shot takes place in December 2017 and follows Chris, Nikki, the kids and the extended family taking part in their annual Christmas tree hunt. Rating: PG

December 2, 2017

Chris and Nikki stood in the kitchen drinking hot coffee watching the weather report on their iPad. The station had been reporting for days that a snowstorm was headed in their direction, which had put their annual Christmas tree hunt into question. However, they were now reporting that it wouldn't hit until later that night.

As the station switched to a segment on how people should prepare for the incoming storm, Chris and Nikki's cell phones alerted them to a text message.

**_The Evans-Ashworth Annual Christmas Tree Hunt is on! We will meet at the tree farm at 10am. - Lisa_ **

"Guess it's time to get the boys up," Nikki said, glancing at the clock.

"I'm on it," Chris replied, just as they heard their oldest son yell, "MOMMY!" from upstairs.

They'd been in their new house for a month now and the biggest hurdle, but necessity, was the gates at the top and bottom of the stairs to keep their active 2-year-old, Aiden, from trying to climb them. It meant that four-year-old Josh had to rely on his parents to get downstairs or upstairs.

Reaching the top of the stairs, Chris opened the gate so Josh could come down. "Go find mommy in the kitchen," he told his son. "I'm going to go check on your sister and get your brother."

Starting with the newest addition to the family, Chris tiptoed into his and Nikki's room and smiled when he found four-month-old Rachel still fast asleep. The two boys had been awful sleepers, but Rachel had been sleeping through the night since we she was six weeks old.

Knowing that Nikki had the baby monitor downstairs with her, Chris left the room and went into the room next door to his and Nikki's room where the boys slept. He found Aiden sitting in his crib quietly playing with a toy that Josh must have thrown into the crib for him.

"Hey big guy," Chris greeted. "You ready to get up?"

"Yes!" Aiden threw his toy aside and then stood up. "Potty."

"You have to go potty?" Chris asked, lifting the toddler out of the crib.

"Uh huh," Aiden nodded.

Ten minutes later, Chris carried Aiden downstairs with the little boy chewing on a gummy worm. "We went potty in the toilet this morning," Chris told Nikki when they found her at the stove.

"Yeah!" Nikki smiled. She leaned over and gave Aiden a kiss on the cheek. "Good job, sweetie."

"Worm," Aiden said, holding out half of the slobbery gummy worm.

"Mommy doesn't want your gummy worm, silly," Chris chuckled. "You finish eating it." He carried Aiden over to the table and set him down in his booster seat. Turning to his oldest he asked, "Do you know what's happening today, Joshie?"

"CHRISTMAS TREE!" Josh shouted, making Chris and Nikki laugh.

Two weeks earlier, they had started decorating their new house for Christmas, everything but the Christmas tree. At age four, Josh was more aware of Christmas traditions than he had been in the past and he had known that the tree was missing. He'd cried at first, thinking they wouldn't be getting one, but then Chris had promised that they'd get one after Thanksgiving and had shown Josh the calendar with the date circled.

The Evans-Ashworth Annual Christmas Tree Hunt had started when Chris and his siblings had been kids. It had been an annual thing that his mom and Mikey's late mom had started, but after Mikey's mom had passed away from cancer the summer after sixth grade, Mikey's dad had stopped coming along and after that first year, Mikey had stopped coming, too.

It hadn't been until Nikki and her mom had joined the Ashworth family that the tradition had been renewed, partially because neither Nikki nor her mom had ever had a real Christmas tree before. The families had gone Christmas tree hunting together every year since then, though, they'd all missed at least one year for one reason or another.

Chris had missed more Christmas tree hunts than anyone else and, ironically, the ones he had made it home for, Nikki had been away at school. Since they'd gotten together, however, they had only missed a couple years and now that their kids were getting older, it was a tradition that they wanted to pass on.

After breakfast was eaten and cleaned up, Chris carried both boys upstairs to get their warm clothes on while Nikki went to feed the baby and get her dressed in winter gear.

Once the boys were ready, Chris led them into his and Nikki's room and finished getting Rachel ready while Nikki got dressed. Once Nikki was dressed, she herded the kids downstairs while Chris quickly got ready.

After gathering a few snacks and putting them in the diaper bag, Nikki led the kids out to the minivan. She settled Rachel in her car seat first then helped Aiden into his while Josh buckled himself into his booster seat.

"You all snapped in?" Nikki asked, leaning between the two captain seats where the younger kids' car seats were. She doubled checked his work and then kissed him on the forehead. "Good job, buddy."

As Nikki climbed out of the van, Chris came out of the house with a dog leash in each hand. "No way," she said, looking down at the dogs.

"But they always come with us," Chris stated. He squatted down and softly grabbed Boston's snout. "How can you say no to a face like this?" He then shifted his attention to Max. "Or this one?"

"Easy, we have three kids, we're totally outnumbered," Nikki stated, putting her hands on her hips.

"Nik, we both know that someone in our family is going to snatch Rachel up the moment we get to the farm," Chris said, standing up. "The only thing we don't know is who it will be, but my bet is on your mom."

"That still leaves us with two very active boys," Nikki pointed out.

"There are only two of us, you're right, but we're not going alone," Chris reminded her. "There will be eight kids today, but there will be thirteen adults. Plus, it will solve another little problem of ours."

Before Nikki could ask what problem, they heard Josh's little voice call from the back of the van. "Mommy, will you sit with me?"

With three kids in car seats, it wasn't practical for them to drive their second vehicle, a crossover SUV, for family trips, but it also meant that Josh ended up in the third row of the minivan by himself unless Nikki, usually, sat in the back with him.

"Believe it or not, I still like holding your hand when I'm driving," Chris smiled down at his wife. "It's the only reason to drive an automatic."

"Alright," Nikki caved. "But you're on doggy duty."

"Yes ma'am," Chris saluted. "Get on in boys, momma says you get to come."

The dogs jumped into the minivan and found their spots; Boston jumping onto the back bench seat with Josh while Max planted himself between the two captain seats.

Five minutes later, they were on the road and listening to a custom radio station playing Christmas songs. As the opening score of "All I Want for Christmas is You" filled the car, Chris reached over and took Nikki's hand in his, just like he had six years earlier when they'd attended their first Christmas tree hunt as a couple. Nikki squeezed Chris's hand and leaned back in her seat.

The Christmas tree farm they'd always gone to had become even more special to them as it was the same farm that Chris and Nikki had gotten married at. The owners, a husband and wife, had diversified their land with him growing Christmas trees for winter and her hosting weddings during the spring, summer and fall. There were occasionally weddings there in the winter, but most of the time the fully restored 100 year old barn was home a local holiday craft fair during that part of the year.

The drive to the farm took them about forty minutes and, by the time they arrived, most of the family was there waiting. Getting Rachel into her snowsuit was easy and Nikki's mom happily took her youngest grandbaby. Neither boy, however, wanted to wear a hat, scarf or gloves, but as soon as they saw their cousins wearing them, they gave in.

Soon they were all making their way up and down the rows of trees looking for the perfect one. Chris's mom and siblings were the first to find their tree and Chris and his brother were elected to do the cutting. While Scott and his brother-in-law carried the tree up to the tree shaker, the rest of them continued on.

"I want this one!" Josh declared, a few minutes later.

Nikki turned and smiled when she saw Josh standing next to a tree that was maybe four feet tall.

"Don't you want a bigger one?" Chris asked, squatting down next to his son. Josh shook his head. "Why not?"

"I want a little one, like me," Josh replied, making the others laugh.

"I guess we could get this one," Chris said, glancing at Nikki. "We can get big one next year?"

"Why can't you get two trees, Uncle Chris?" his oldest nephew Ethan asked.

"That's a great idea," Nikki said. "What do you think, Aiden, do you like this tree?" The two-year-old nodded from his perch in her dad's arms. "Alright, I guess we've found the tree for the reading area."

Josh "helped" Nikki hold the tree while Chris used the saw on the base. Then Josh "helped" Chris carry it up to the tree shaker. While they were gone, Nikki's parents and sisters found their tree and so did Dana, Mikey and their twins.

Once Chris and Josh returned, it took them another fifteen minutes or so to find the perfect tree for their living room. As per tradition, they posed for a picture with Nikki holding a sleeping Rachel and Chris holding both Aiden and Josh. Once the picture taking was done, they got down to business with cutting it down and then carried it out to the tree shaker.

The kids watched in awe as a worker put each tree on the machine the shook the tree to remove dead needles and any wayward bugs. They then watched as each tree passed through the bundling machine that wrapped string around the tree branches so it was a tight bundle.

While the menfolk put the trees on the cars, the women and kids went into the barn for hot chocolate and cookies. The grandmas volunteered to watch the kids while the moms and aunties went to look at what was for sale.

Nikki and Dana walked around together and found a booth with customizable wood ornaments. They each picked one out for each of their kids and were waiting as the artist wrote the kids names on them when Chris and Mikey appeared.

"It's snowing," Chris told Nikki as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

Nikki craned her neck so she could see out one of the old windows and smiled when she saw Josh and Aiden spinning around with their tongues out. It was still too warm for the snow to stick, but the kids were loving it.

Once the ornaments were done, the couples made their way outside to join their kids. Chris and Mikey joined Scott in chasing the kids around and it wasn't long before Aiden took protection in Nikki's arms. As he nestled his head in her neck, Nikki knew the morning's activities were catching up with him.

As the temperature started to drop, Chris and Nikki said their goodbyes and carried their boys to the van while Nikki's mom followed with Rachel. They loaded the kids and the dogs into the van and then headed home.

The snow was starting to stick as Chris pulled into their driveway and, with all three kids sleeping, he and Nikki took the trees off the roof of the van and carried them into the garage.

Once they'd gotten the trees in buckets of water, they took turns carrying their sleeping kids into the house. They put the boys on the couches in the playroom and put Rachel in the pack 'n play in the office. They carefully removed the kids' winter gear, working slowly as to not wake them up.

Exhausted, Chris sank down onto the couch in the living room as Nikki turned on the gas fireplace before joining him. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder as she cuddled up against him. They relaxed in silence as they watched the snow falling steadily from the windows on either side of the fireplace.


	4. Ms. Rachel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one shot takes place in May 2017 and features Chris and Nikki learning about the loss of a dear friend. Rating: PG

Friday, May 12, 2017

The shrill ring of a cellphone brought the noisy soundstage to an eerie silence. As if connected, fifty pairs of eyes turned to the production assistant who'd been given the important duty of watching Chris's phone while he was on set during the last month of Nikki's pregnancy.

"It's your brother-in-law," the assistant told Chris, after looking at the phone.

Brow furrowed, Chris made his way over to the assistant and took the phone, unsure as to why Mikey was calling him. Answering the phone, he told his brother-in-law to give him a minute as he made his way out of the soundstage and out into the hot Atlanta sun.

Of all the people that Chris was expecting to hear from, Mikey wasn't one of them. Typically, when he was on a job, his family members texted him to call them back when he had time, so the fact that Mikey had called made Chris a little nervous, especially since his mom and Nikki's mom were in Atlanta with them.

"Mikey?" Chris said into the phone. "What's up?"

"Hey, Chris," his brother-in-law replied, his tone weary. "Sorry for calling you while you were on set, but I needed to call you before you heard from anyone else."

His words and the pause he took after put Chris on high alert.

"Ms. Rachel passed away last night," his brother-in-law finally said.

Chris's stomach dropped and he felt tears pool in the corner of his eyes as he thought of his and Nikki's former neighbor. He took a shaky breath and asked, "does Nikki know?"

"No," Mikey stated. "I called mom hoping that you were home. When you weren't, I told her to turn Nikki's phone off. Of course, mom demanded to know why, so she and your mom both know. I told them to let you tell Nikki and the boys."

Chris sniffed as a tear rolled down his cheek. Ms. Rachel had been the only grandmother-like figure in Nikki's life and the news of her passing was going to break his wife's heart.

"You still there?" his brother-in-law asked.

"Yeah," Chris confirmed after clearing his throat. "Thanks for calling me, Mikey." He pulled his phone away from his ear to look at the time and saw that he only had about two hours left until the end of the work week. "I'll call Ms. Rachel's son once we wrap for the day."

"Let me know if there is anything I can do to help," Mikey told him. "You or Ms. Rachel's son."

"I will," Chris assured him.

After saying goodbye, Chris dried his face with his hand and then took a minute to compose himself. Once he was ready, he went back into the soundstage and found them rehearsing the scene again. He gave the assistant his phone and then made his way over to the makeup artist on set, knowing he was going to need a touch up.

While they fussed over his makeup, Chris's longtime friend Scarlett Johansson made her way over.

"Everything ok?" she asked him.

Chris nodded as the makeup team finished touching up his makeup. He knew that Scarlett could tell he wasn't being honest, but he had to get through the last two hours of their filming schedule and then they would all be off for the weekend.

Two hours later, Scarlett took the same golf cart as Chris to get back to their trailers and he told her about Ms. Rachel's passing. Even though his friend had only met the woman a couple times, she still expressed emotion over the loss; after all, she more than anyone knew how close Chris's family had been to Ms. Rachel as she had visited them in Sudbury a handful of times.

Before parting ways for the evening, Scarlet told him that she'd take care of their dinner for the next night. He tried to convince her it was ok, but she waved him off, saying that she'd handle it.

Going into his trailer, Chris changed out of his costume and into the clothes he'd worn that day to the studio. Knowing that his drive home wouldn't take too long, he sat down on the couch and called Ms. Rachel's son, Craig, who he'd met in person many times when the son had visited from California with his family.

During the conversation, Chris learned that Ms. Rachel had passed away peacefully in her sleep and had been discovered by their neighbor Jan, who'd noticed that Ms. Rachel's cats were acting strangely in the window as if trying to get someone's attention. It had been Jan who'd called the authorities and then had reached out to Craig to tell him.

Craig expressed his thanks Chris and their other neighbors who'd watched out for his mom during the last few years. He'd been in a difficult situation with his wife's parents in California needing care and his mom refusing to leave the east coast. Knowing his mom had had neighbors that treated her like family had made the whole situation easier for them. Before hanging up, Craig promised to keep Chris informed about funeral arrangements and if there was anything he and Nikki could do to help.

Teary-eyed from the conversation, Chris used a tissue to dry his eyes and then headed out to his car. He used the short drive from the studio to their rental house to mentally prepare himself for the bomb he was going to have to drop in the lap of his wife who was 36-weeks pregnant.

Pulling into the crowded driveway, Chris spotted Nikki sitting on the porch swing and knew she was waiting for him. He was proved correct when she met him at the top of the steps to the porch with her hands planted on her hips, a minute later.

"Would you please explain to me why our mothers won't give me my phone and or look me in the eye?!" she demanded in the short tone she usually reserved for the dogs when they were misbehaving.

Chris took a deep breath and reached for her hand, but she dodged his first attempt. "Please, Nik," he said, his voice cracking. Meeting her eyes, he blinked back the tears that were pooling again.

"What is it?" she asked, her voice full of emotion. "Chris, what's going on." She didn't resist as Chris took her hand and led her over to the porch swing. "Chris?"

"I got a phone call today," he started, his voice wavering as all of the emotions he'd kept at bay began to bubble up. "Nik, baby, Ms. Rachel -"

The gut wrenching sob that met his ears told him that his wife had figured out what happened to Ms. Rachel without him having to say that she'd passed. Chris wrapped his arms around her and let his own tears flow freely over the beloved grandmother-figure they'd both lost.

When there were no more tears to cry, Nikki sniffed and used her thumbs to dry her eyes then chuckled a little when Chris offered her a corner of his shirt to use instead. She shook her head, but leaned back into his embrace, basking in the comfort he was able to give her.

"How do you feel about changing the baby's name?" she asked, after a few minutes of silence. "I know we'd agreed on Charlotte, but now…"

"Now you want to name her after Ms. Rachel?" Chris finished and Nikki nodded. "I love that idea. Same middle name? Marie."

"Rachel Marie Evans," Nikki practiced and let out a surprised laugh when she felt the baby kick. "Ow." She rubbed the spot, but laughed. "I think she likes that name."

"Good, because it's hers." Chris placed his hand on top of Nikki's swollen belly and knew that Ms. Rachel was smiling down on them.


	5. Birthday Twins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one shot takes place in June 2017 and is Chris, Nikki and welcoming their new baby: Rachel. Rating: G

June 13, 2017

Lisa Evans watched the clock as it struck midnight; it was officially Chris’s birthday. Exactly 36 years ago, she’d been in the hospital having her second baby and now that baby was at the hospital with his wife preparing to have their third baby. She wished she could be at the hospital with them, but Nikki’s mom, Pam, had gone and Lisa had stayed at the house with the boys, who were both sleeping.

Two days past her due date, Nikki had started experiencing some contractions earlier that afternoon, but they hadn’t been close enough to bother Chris at the studio. They had increased slightly by the time he’d gotten home, but it still hadn’t been enough to keep them from their normal routine of eating dinner as a family, taking the dogs for a walk and getting the boys put to bed.

Once the toddlers had been in bed, Lisa had joined Chris, Nikki and Pam in the living room. She and Pam had sat on the couch while Chris had massaged Nikki’s back and neck while she’d bounced on a yoga ball. Her contractions had increased since dinner, but still not to the point where she had needed to go to the hospital. Therefore, she had done everything she could to help the process.

Things had gotten exciting around ten. They’d all just decided to try and get some sleep, when Nikki’s water had broken. What had followed had been organized chaos. Chris had helped Nikki out to the car while Pam had followed with the hospital bag. Once they’d left, Lisa had sent a text to the family members back in Massachusetts to let them know what was going on.

Now, two hours later, Lisa was sitting in the living room doing a puzzle that she’d found in the hall closet of Chris and Nikki’s Georgia rental home. She was too excited to go to sleep, she’d been the same way with all of her grandchildren. Of course, this was the first she was at home and not in the delivery room or pacing in the waiting room.

The first photo came to Lisa a quarter after midnight, showing a screaming baby resting in Nikki’s arms post birth. A second photo followed with a closer look at the baby’s face. It was more than love at first sight for Lisa as her heart swelled at the images of the baby girl.

It was roughly an hour before Chris called to talk to her. He sounded exhausted, but excited as he gushed about Rachel, his baby girl. He confirmed that she’d arrived shortly after midnight, meaning that father and daughter shared a birthday. She had a full head of blondish hair and weighed 7.5 pounds and was 19.5 inches long. He also assured his mom that baby Rachel was perfect and healthy and that Nikki was doing good, too.

They talked for a few more minutes before hanging up. Lisa took a minute or two to put the puzzle pieces back into the box before she made her way to the guest room to get some sleep, knowing that she’d have two rambunctious toddlers to deal with in a few hours.

—–

Later that morning, Lisa came out of the guestroom to find Pam in the kitchen drinking coffee. Nikki’s mom revealed that she’d gotten back to the house about 1:30 and had gotten enough sleep. She then encouraged Lisa to head to the hospital to see Chris, Nikki and baby Rachel, explaining that Chris intended to come back to the house to get the boys around ten to take them to meet their baby sister.

Returning to the guestroom, Lisa showered quickly and got dressed. Before she left the house, she gave both of her grandsons kisses on the top of their heads as they ate pancakes. On her way to the hospital, she stopped to buy a bouquet of flowers for Nikki at a nearby grocery store.

Arriving at the hospital, she sent Chris a text, letting him know she was on her way up and found him waiting for her when she arrived at the birthing center. He led her back to Nikki’s room and her heart skipped a beat when she saw her daughter-in-love holding her newest grandbaby.

It wasn’t until she’d been holding the baby for a good twenty minutes that she remembered it was her own baby’s birthday. Looking up at her son, she said, “Happy birthday, my sweet boy.”

Both Chris and Nikki blinked at her and then looked at each other. Surprised smiles spread across their faces and revealed that in the exhaustion and excitement of having Rachel, they’d both completely forgotten that it was Chris’s birthday, too.

“Thanks, ma,” Chris said, chuckling. He shook his head. “I can’t believe we forgot.”

“You’ve been a bit busy,” Lisa said, glancing down at her perfect grandbaby. Said baby chose that moment to yawn and slowly begin the process of opening her eyes post nap. Grandma and granddaughter were soon looking at each other for a blissful thirty seconds before Rachel began to wail. Lisa handed her back to Nikki and then sat down in the chair near the bed.

She stayed with Nikki and Rachel, who fell asleep again as soon as her belly was full, while Chris went back to the house to pick up Pam and the boys. When he returned, he was carrying a toddler in each arm and brought them over to Nikki’s bed so they could see their baby sister for the first time.

Three-year-old Josh was curious about the baby and wanted to hold her while two-year-old Aiden just wanted to snuggle with Nikki. While Nikki and Aiden snuggled, Josh joined Lisa in her chair and she helped him hold baby Rachel while Chris and Pam took photos of them.

With help of an understanding nurse, they arranged the family of five on Nikki’s hospital bed for their first family photos. Chris sat on the edge of the bed with Aiden in his lap with Nikki held Rachel in her arms with Josh planted on the bed between her and Chris. The baby slept through it all, even with her brothers wiggling around and making lots of noise.

They attempted a photo of the three siblings, but by then all three kids had had enough. Neither boy wanted to sit still and, as a result, Rachel woke up crying. In a twist of fate, Chris was recording a video when the crying happened and both Aiden and Josh covered their ears with their hands simultaneously with Josh then shouting, “someone turn it off!”

That video was the first thing that Chris shared with the public via his Twitter account with the hashtags: #andthentherewerethree #wereoutnumbered #lettheadventurebegin. He supplemented that with a second tweet; sharing the best photo of the five of them where, instead of looking at the camera, all of their eyes were focused on baby Rachel. It hadn’t been a posed photo, the baby had let out a funny sounding squeak just before the photo had been taken and mom, dad and her brothers had all glanced at her with amused looks on their faces.


End file.
